The 5 Largest Lakes in Italy | USA Today The 5 Largest Lakes in Italy The Borromeo Islands are among Lake Maggiore's major attractions. (Photo: Andy Sotiriou/Photodisc/Getty Images ) What Are Some Unique Landforms in Italy? Italy counts more than 1,500 lakes, but most of the largest are in the north, where the Alps form a mountainous boundary with countries farther north. Three of the lakes -- Garda, Maggiore and Como -- rank as Italy’s largest, while the fourth- and fifth-ranked lakes -- Trasimeno and Bolsena -- lie farther south. Garda Lake Garda -- Lago di Garda in Italian -- has an area of 143 square miles, making it the country’s largest lake and also the third-largest in the Alps, surpassed only by Lake Constance and Lake Geneva. Its borders touch on the Italian regions of Lombardy, Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige. Despite its mountain location, Garda is well-sheltered by the high peaks and enjoys a Mediterranean climate, allowing citrus and olive trees to flourish at its southern end.

The northern end was Austrian territory until 1919 and maintains a strong German-speaking character today through the thousands of Austrian and German tourists who vacation in the area. Maggiore With an area of 82 square miles, Lake Maggiore is Italy’s second-largest lake. The lake’s 34 mile length forms part of the boundary between the regions of Lombardy and Piedmont, while the international border between Italy and Switzerland also crosses the water; the northern end is in the Swiss canton of Ticino. One of the lake’s most popular attractions is the picturesque town of Stresa and the three Borromeo Islands just offshore, which you can visit by boat. The narrow lakeside roads are very busy in the peak summer season, but the lake is just as beautiful in spring and autumn, when the roads are quieter. Como Lake Como is the third-largest Italian lake, with an area of 56 square miles. It’s easily reachable from Milan, 25 miles to the south, and as a result is popular with locals looking to escape from the crowded city.

Como is also popular with celebrities -- film star George Clooney and businessman Richard Branson have homes there, and part of the James Bond film “Casino Royale” was filmed at a lakeside villa. Trasimeno While Garda, Maggiore and Como in the Italian north are the country’s largest lakes, Trasimeno is the largest on the Italian peninsula south of the Po river. Just 10 miles west of the city of Perugia, it has an area of 49 square miles, but its maximum depth of just 20 feet illustrates how different it is in comparison with its much deeper northern neighbors. Many Italians are aware of Trasimeno from school history lessons, because it is the site of a bloody defeat for the Romans in 217 B.C. when an army led by Hannibal killed around 15,000 Roman soldiers. Today it's a national park with lots of hiking trails for walkers. Bolsena Bolsena has an area of 44 square miles and owes its existence to a hollow formed in the crater of an extinct volcano.

It is the furthest south of the five largest lakes and spreads out to the southwest of the city of Orvieto in the province of Lazio. The lake gives its name to a small lakeshore town. The fertile lake makes fishing one of the main local industries, but you’re also likely to see vineyards and olive groves around the lake if you visit. References Lake Garda, Italy: the glories of Italy's largest lake - Telegraph Telegraph Articles Lake Garda, Italy: the glories of Italy's largest lake 'Why don't we hear more about Garda? Italy's largest lake, blessed with a benign climate and diversity of landscape' Lee Langley 9 March 2012 • 12:00am In 1921 Ezra Pound wrote to James Joyce from a pink-walled hotel that still today overlooks Sirmione's harbour on Lake Garda: "Dear Joyce, I'd like you to spend a week here with me. The location is well worth the journey – both Catullus and I can guarantee it!" It is still worth the journey. It was another poet – Tennyson – who drew me to Garda.

Or, rather, Tennyson and Catullus together, touching hands across time. The English poet's moving description of a visit to the ruins of the lakeside home of the "tenderest of Roman poets" fired my imagination. The shores of Garda are studded with pretty harbour towns, but it was Sirmione I wanted to see, perched on a narrow strip of land two miles long, reaching into the lake from the southern shore. Sirmione, with its cobbled streets, its 13th-century castle and, above all, the ruined Roman villa lying at the tip of the promontory: the Grotte di Catullo – not a grotto, but that's what the early Venetian explorers called it when they came upon what they thought were natural caves in the thick undergrowth, not realising they had stumbled on a vast treasure, the most important Roman site in northern Italy . (Theo Richmond) Shortly before she died in Paris in 1977 Maria Callas told a friend how much she missed Sirmione – over the years she retreated regularly to her villa on the lake to escape from the stress of the limelight.

But the town is no longer the haven of peace it was when she knew it. Today, holidaymakers swarm off the ferries, settle at waterfront cafés, line up for multicoloured, gravity-defying cones of local ice cream and jostle their way through the tiny, winding streets. As well as the usual trinket shops, Sirmione has thermal baths and a health centre with hot springs and treatments. It is best visited in spring or late summer; in high season the town centre is engulfed by tourists. Whenever you go, a few hundred yards from the harbour the crowds dwindle and calm descends. From here you can walk or take the trenino, a little toytown "train" up the gently sloping road, past glimpses of a grand hotel secluded in shady grounds, until you reach the headland and the entrance to what has become accepted, despite some academic doubts, as the Catullus family villa. And here Tennyson's dream comes to life: the Roman poet's olive-silvery "all-but-island", with purple flowers cascading from the crumbling walls. Around lie the ruins, reclaimed from the rubble of the centuries.

What might have been an atrium is now a grassy, undulating olive grove, surrounded by pillars, arcaded colonnades, stables, baths and rooms; the triple-arched "window of paradise" frames a view of azure water. The honey-coloured stone dazzles in the bright morning, glows rosy at sunset, softening to a pastel grey as the light leaves the sky. It is a place to visit and revisit, wander and explore. Winding paths are lined with hedges of fragrant rosemary interspersed with bushy bay trees, scented herbs underfoot. Below, at the foot of the cliffs, lies a long, narrow beach, the sand shelving into the waters of this inland sea. Here, Sirmione retains its healing calm. Why don't we hear more about Garda? Italy's largest lake, blessed with a benign climate and diversity of landscape, with Venice to the east and Milan to the west, remains curiously uncelebrated, overshadowed by Como with its famous gardens and villas, though Garda has so much to offer.

The north end is edged with jagged mountains at its sword-narrow tip – the Altogarda, which once formed a border between Italy and Austria, and where today hardy types enjoy windsurfing, paragliding, mountain walking and climbing. The northernmost points, Riva and Torbole, charmed Goethe, who called the view "a precious spectacle". Writers have sung Garda's praises over the centuries. Halfway down, at Gargnano, DH Lawrence and Frieda lived for several months – a marble plaque identifies the house. "The lake lies dim and milky," Lawrence wrote, "the mountains are dark blue... the sky glistens... the light burns gold." As the lake widens, it changes character, with almost Mediterranean settings of open-air cafés, pebble beaches and picturesque harbours, a Janus-faced landscape as fir and pine trees give way to olive and lemon groves. Lawrence wrote of the "exquisite scent of lemon flowers", and described ancient limonaie – huge greenhouses with removable roof planks to protect the trees in winter. Visit in spring and Garda's lemon trees should be in fragrant bloom.

This ladle-shaped expanse of water, 50 miles long and 11 across at its widest, is a holiday destination now (it even has Gardaland, a huge theme park, nearby to keep the children occupied), but in earlier centuries it carried more commercial traffic: goods and travellers were transported across the lake and, according to Virgil, "the waters could heave with waves and roar like a sea in tempest". No such storms while I crisscross from town to town on the frequent and punctual ferries. The blue waters are ringed by slopes of vineyards in the lower basin, the local speciality – Bardolino – a blend of corvina, rondinella, molinara and sangiovese grapes. There are oenophile holidaymakers who drive from vineyard to vineyard, enjoying their tastings, happily ignoring the literary associations and the little sailing boats tacking from shore to horizon. The trick to getting the best out of Garda is to find a congenial base and spend leisurely days exploring the lake, picking out what each little town has to offer.

Tennyson's poem began: "Row us out from Desenzano," and he chose his base wisely: the guidebooks have been unfair to Desenzano, the largest of the lakeside towns, just a short boat ride from Sirmione, though it's a ferry now, no boatmen on hand to "row us out". The guides describe it somewhat patronisingly as "a good transport hub". It is much more, with a rich old quarter, lively cafés, surprisingly good restaurants, a 12th-century castle looming above the port, and the ruin of a substantial Roman villa, with fine mosaic floors. The cathedral has an unconventional Last Supper by Tiepolo, and the tiny, arcaded Venetian harbour, almost landlocked, is one of the most picturesque on the entire lake, lined with tables for eating outdoors. A hundred yards along, the port quayside is busy with ferries, catamarans and hydrofoils. A short walk away are pebbly beaches, umbrellas, recliners. Frequent trains can whizz you to Verona in half an hour.

Spoilt for choice, we harbour-hop from Desenzano: one day to Lazise, with its castle rising from the water's edge, restaurants tucked close beneath the crenellated walls and red Venetian houses; then to Salò, with its arcaded waterfront and curving, tree-lined promenade. It was in Salò that Mussolini briefly set up the unofficial headquarters of his doomed "Italian Socialist Republic". At Gardone Riviera, poised high above the lake, with sweeping views of parkland and shoreline, Gabriele d'Annunzio, Italy's flamboyant soldier-poet, egomaniac and lover of women, built his own dream republic, a vast, dazzlingly eccentric estate called the Vittoriale, which spreads across an entire hillside. Just one example of d'Annunzio bravura: a complete boat, cut up, brought in by train and reassembled, lies stranded like a beached whale high on the hill among the trees. The rambling house with private museum is a must-see oddity, filled with d'Annunzio's bizarre collections – 10,000 objects, many connected with the women in his life.

Crammed into the rooms are paintings, statues, stained glass, antiques, books, musical instruments, gleaming vintage cars. The propeller of his seaplane hangs from a ceiling. One room is an Arabian tent with gold and black damask walls; nearby a flamboyant Art Deco dining room has a gilded turtle on the table. Each little town brings discoveries: a church rich with Renaissance frescoes, ancient walls, a botanical garden, a flower-lined promenade, a ski lift soaring high into the mountains and, of course, the local red wine – and where better to taste it than Bardolino, elegant and potently pretty, relaxed but classy; a 19th-century feel to the esplanade with its Edwardian villas and decorative wrought-iron gates. Umbrella-shaded tables cluster at the water's edge; cool, dark wineries line the main street. One, a cavernous cantina with a minstrel gallery stacked with barrels, is part of the Loggia Rambaldi overlooking the marina. Tables outside are ranged round the elegant, four-square 16th-century building, now a ristorante.

Step inside and you find a dining room, exquisitely proportioned, the vaulted ceiling supported by a forest of slender columns. Lunch deserves to be lingered over, particularly the seafood. Unlike the kitchens of Venice, where restaurants are often geared to undemanding tourist trade, Garda's are the real thing. This lower end of the lake, with its Mediterranean flavour, lulls the visitor into a sense of leisure. The unhurried pace of life, the agreeable nature of the small journeys, stepping on and off the ferries, bobbing up and down on the blue water – it's all part of the easy, Italian dolce far niente, the sweet idleness of life where ferry timetables are all you need to worry about, and the world of conflicts large and small can be, for a while, forgotten. Lake Garda essentials Verona, Milan and Brescia are the nearest airports for the southern part of Lake Garda – try ba.com , easyjet.com and ryanair.com . There are train or bus connections to the lake (eg, trains from Verona to Desenzano every half-hour, journey approx 40 min).

Ferries and hydrofoils call at the lakeside towns throughout the day; information/ticket kiosks can be found at the jetties. The faster boats cost more. Pick up a timetable and plan itineraries with ferry schedules in mind. Some passes cover several journeys. Local buses also link the towns, cheaper but not always following scenic routes, and in high season traffic can be heavy. In Desenzano, the three-star Hotel Piroscafo ( hotelpiroscafo.it ) is right by the lake, with tables outside on the old Venetian harbour; double rooms from €80 (£67). In Sirmione, the refurbished four-star Hotel Eden ( hoteledensirmione.it ) has lake views and a private jetty for sunbathing; double rooms from about €100 (£84). Some of Garda's lemon gardens can be visited. The limonaia at Porto di Tignale is due to reopen at Easter (0039 0365 7144). At Torri del Benaco, the castello houses a 300-year-old limonaia.

In June, Bardolino holds a wine festival and Malcesine a fish festival. Check for further details with local tourist offices. Best Italian Lakes to Visit on Your Vacation Lake Como Lake Como is Italy's most popular lake and a top romantic destination. With fairly temperate weather, Lake Como can be visited any time of year. The lake is surrounded by beautiful villas and resort villages as well as hiking paths and it's popular for boat trips, water activities, and photography. Lake Como is in the northern Italian Lakes District between Milan and Switzerland. continue reading below our video Before Your Road Trip, Watch This © 2009 by Martha Bakerjian Lake Garda Lake Garda is Italy's largest and most visited lake and is popular with families. Picturesque villages, medieval castles, and lakeside promenades dot the shoreline. The lake has a diverse landscape with beaches along the southern shores and rocky cliffs above the northern shoreline. Its clear water makes it a good place for swimming, sailing, and wind-surfing. Near the lake you can visit Gardaland and other amusement and recreational parks making it a good place to take kids. Lake Garda is in northeastern Italy between Venice and Milan.

Lake Trasimeno Lake Trasimeno is in central Italy in the Umbria region near Tuscany, just about at the center point of mainland Italy. Trasimeno is Italy's largest non-Alpine lake and is fairly shallow. The lake was the site of a famous battle between Hannibal and Rome. There are several interesting, historical towns around the lake and the large island, Isola Maggiore, famous for its lace-making is a good place to visit. One of the prettiest towns is Castiglione del Lago with a medieval center and castle by the lake. There are beaches around the lake. Lake Orta The small lake of Orta is west of Lake Maggiore in the northern Italian lakes district. In the past Lake Orta was a popular retreat for poets and artists. From the charming village of Orta San Giulio you can visit the one island in the lake or climb Sacro Monte, or the sacred mountain, where there's a sanctuary built in 1591 and small chapels dedicated to Saint Francis.

Lombardy: The Lakes Region - Lakes - Travel ideas You are in Home / Travel ideas / Lakes / Lombardy: The Lakes Region Lombardy: The Lakes Region Panoramic Shot of Lake Maggiore Lago Maggiore - Santa Caterina Monastery Lake Garda - Villa Cavazza-Borghese Lake Garda - Sirmione - Aerial View Lake Garda - Malcesine Lake Iseo - Rock of Loreto Lake Iseo - Montisola Lombardy , with its grand lakes and numerous small basins, offers a unique mix of charms to lovers of lake tourism. Staying on Lake Garda , Lake Como , Lake Maggiore or Iseo (just to name the largest and most famous), means immersing oneself in all the flourish of a lush nature that also has the power to renew the mind and body. The gorgeous landscapes of Lombardy’s lakes bring together the fascination of villages lost in time, near-ancient castles and monasteries, superb villas, places rich in history and character, and intriguing museums.

Athletics enthusiasts also have at their disposition a choice of “open-air gyms” where they can practice sport in water, air or on land: swimming, canoe, windsurfing, rock-climbing, mountain-biking, trekking, horesback riding, hang-gliding, rafting and golf are just some of the activities on offer. The blessed geographic position of each lake permits a completely relaxing vacation that is, if one so wishes, near to city centers that are highly important in terms of art, history and culture – i.e. Milan , Brescia and Mantua . Foodies and those passionate for fine cuisine could possibly be overwhelmed by the choice in store for the mas well: restaurants all over the lake district serve all the typical delicacies, including a long list of lake-inhabiting fish (carp, whitefish, trout, pike, and white bass), plus the excellent Garda olive oil, asparagus from Rogaro and Drezzo, and DOC wines like Chiaretto, Bardolino and Lugana. All the lakes invite tourists to a singular and particular experience, beginning with Lake Garda, the largest lake in Italy.

Here, the magnificent scenery was enough to inspire celebrated personages the likes of Catullus, Dante Alighieri, Goethe, Byron and Stendhal. The communities facing the lake – Sirmione , with the Rocca Scaligera and Grotto of Catullus, and the Gardone Riviera , with its magical Art Nouveau buildings, Bogliaco, Campione and Limone . Garda is a spot where vacationers can truly customize their entire trip and stay: from ancient borgoes to vivacious and crowded downtowns, from lakeshores that are perfectly-tailored to families to amusement parks, and from natural reserves to natural spas (such as the famous terme at Sirmione and at Lazise). Lake Maggiore , Italy’s second lake for extent, boasts spectacular views and a temperate climate, imposing mountains and green hills, forts and villas – all contributing to its status as an important touristic destination since the days of the “Grand Tour.” Lake Maggiore is also one of the most splendidly evocative locations in the world to practice windsurfing, while the surrounding greens are a great attraction for golfers.

We highly recommend an excursion to the National Park of Val Grande , one of the foremost wilderness areas in Italy. Lake Como, with its upside-down Y form, gave to the world the inventor Alessandro Volta and the writer Alessandro Manzoni, who set the book I Promessi Sposi (The Betrothed) the branch of the lake that contains Lecco. The lake’s center (i.e. center of the Y) features perhaps one of the most famous and awe-inspiring Italian images in the world: the beautiful panorama that comprises the fantastic Villa d’Este (Cernobbio), Villa Serbelloni and Villa Melzi ( Bellagio ), and Villa Passalacqua (Moltrasio). Lake Como is the ne plus ultra in a number of aspects, and a paradise for those who enjoy practicing water sports, paragliding, trekking, horseback riding, mountain-biking, rock-climbing and golf (with 7 courses tucked into the surrounding greens). Lake Iseo , the smallest of Lombardy’s “great lakes,” sits between the Provinces of Bergamo and Brescia .

Admittedly, the real pearl of Lake Iseo is Montisola , the largest lake island in all of Europe. With summer comes the possibility to partake in a variety of water sports and, with winter, the fun of ski awaits in nearby Valcamonica , just 30 kilometers (19 miles) away. Useful Information Corso Zanardelli 150, Gardone Riviera 0365-20 158 The luxurious lakeside villa where Mussolini entertained his mistress Claretta Petacci is now one of Italy’s most opulent “gastrohotels”. The beautiful restaurant is a showcase for creative cuisine, with subtle combinations of ingredients exquisitely presented. A great place for a special occasion. Closed Mon and Tues lunch, and Nov–mid-Feb. Er Più 35/56 Via Castellini 21, Como 031 272 154 One of the few good restaurants in Como, this is a haven for fish fans. You can have it smoked, salted, fried, oven-cooked, marinaded, in a soup or in a stew.

The fish comes from both lake and sea, and the menu typically features everything from lobster, scallops and clams to seabass and salmon. Desserts, created by the patisserie chef since 1974, are irresistible. To save on cost go at lunch time when the set menu is half the price of the evening meals. Closed Tue, most of August, one week Jan. Esplanade Via Lario 3, Desenzano del Garda 030 914 3361 One of Lake Garda’s top restaurants, where chef Massimo Fezzardi‘s cuisine combines tradition with creativity. Enjoy a stunning lake setting and a menu typically featuring millefeuille of artichokes with roast scampi and purée of anchovy, salt-crusted Piedmont fillet of beef and duck ravioli with rosemary and goose liver. Closed Wed. Villa Crespi Via G.

Fava 18, Orta San Giulio 0322 911 902 An exclusive Moorish villa hotel with a Neapolitan chef who sources the finest ingredients: mozzarella from southern Italy, shrimps from San Remo, truffles from Alba, locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables. His creative dishes – many of which are Mediterranean – have earned the restaurant two Michelin stars. Feast on Sicilian scampi in Martini sauce, ravioli with clams and caviar, veal fillet with fresh foie gras and marsala sauce – washed down with wine from the 83-page wine list. For the ultimate gourmet sensation opt for the 10-course tasting menu. Closed Tue, Wed lunch. Piccolo Lago Via Filippo Turati 87, Fondotoce, Lake Mergozzo 0323 586 792 The ‘Little Lake’ restaurant has two Michelin stars and a beautiful setting on the tiny Lago di Mergozzo, between Mergozzo and Fondotoce.

Traditional Piedmontese dishes, rich risottos and trout, pike and perch from the lake are elegantly prepared and presented. This is also a hotel with 12 modern rooms and lakeside pool. Closed Mon and lunch Tues-Fri. ITALIA - Spotlight On ... The Lakes of Italy Lake of Como The Lakes of Northern Italy The lakes of the North, at the foot of the majestically mountain chain of the Alps, are mainly of glacial origin. Among these are Lake Garda (the largest lake in Italy), Lake Como (the deepest), Lake Maggiore, Lake Iseo and Lake Orta. The environment around these lakes is mostly alpine, and is ideal for winter holidays, thanks to the mitigating action of the waters and the presence of the mountains. The Other Italian Lakes In Umbria, Lake Trasimeno is Italy's fourth-largest lake. In Latium, to the north of Rome, the province of Viterbo contains two charming lakes: Lake Bolsena and Lake Vico. In the Alban Hills (Colli Albani) there is Lake Albano, South East of Rome and Lake Nemi located east of Rome.

Lake Bracciano lies just at North West of Rome In the following pages we will cite the most beautiful and well-equipped lakes of Italy, with an itinerary including the history, art, nature and daily life of an important part of the Italian peninsular The Complete Guide To The Italian Lakes | The Independent Europe The Complete Guide To The Italian Lakes Natural beauty, elegant architecture, relaxing boat trips and energetic watersports - this fabulous region has it all, says Matthew Teller Friday 30 June 2006 23:00 BST Click to follow The Independent Travel WHICH LAKES ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? There are plenty of lakes all over Italy, but here the phrase refers specifically to an area in the north, where a string of narrow glacial lakes lies interspersed between the Prealpine foothills, straddling the border with Switzerland. The four most important lakes are, from west to east, Lake Maggiore, Lake Lugano, Lake Como and Lake Garda. Between and around these are several minor lakes - such as Lake Orta, west of Maggiore, and Lake Iseo, midway between Como and Garda - as well as countless Alpine tarns trapped in the high valleys.

The region offers classic images of Italy: balconies over blue water, sleepy cobblestone villages and stone cottages, secluded gardens and exotic flora. SHOW ME SOMEWHERE REALLY GRAND Bellagio, on Lake Como, has been called the most beautiful town in Italy. It's not hard to see why. There is a promenade planted with oleanders and lime trees, fin-de-siècle hotels painted shades of butterscotch, peach and cream, a spectacular mid-lake location facing west and a heart of stepped, cobbled alleyways, all of which make Bellagio the quintessential Italian Lakes destination. Stresa is the grande dame of Lake Maggiore's resorts, a graceful little town that came to life in 1906 with the opening of the Simplon rail tunnel. It quickly became a favoured holiday retreat for Europe's nobility; Hemingway was a regular visitor and the Grand Hôtel des Iles Borromées (00 39 0323 938 938; ) features in A Farewell to Arms. It remains as stuffy as ever, with doubles from €450/£309, including breakfast.

At the southern end of Lake Garda, within the chic little spa resort of Sirmione, you find Villa Cortine (00 39 030 990 5890; ), built in 1870 and now an exclusive holiday retreat spread over a beautiful waterfront park. Its interiors are lavish to the point of bombast, with frescoes, marble and gilding everywhere, dovetailing perfectly with the atmosphere of monied seclusion. Doubles start at €560/£384, including half-board. The lakes host many other grand palace hotels, from the celebrated Villa d'Este on Lake Como (00 39 031 3491; ) to the discreet Villa Principe Leopoldo above Lugano in Switzerland (00 41 91 985 8855; ). A ROMANTIC HIDEAWAY? Take your pick. Squeezed below steep cliffs on the east shore of Lake Como is Varenna, its idyllic "Lovers' Walkway" coiling along the shore.

The family-run Albergo Milano (00 39 0341 830 298; ), freshly modernised this year, is tucked into the narrow alleys higher up - all patterned tile floors and crisp white linens, with doubles for €140/£96 including breakfast. In a similar vein is Gandria on Lake Lugano, a tranquil hamlet of stone-built cottages, with no access by car (only a few boats stop in each day); and Cannobio, a genteel old Lake Maggiore town with an expansive promenade backed by high mountains. Most beautiful of all is Orta San Giulio, a medieval village hidden away on little Lake Orta, where cobbled lanes wind between tall, pastel-washed houses and peeling palazzi and fishing boats lie pulled up onto the waterfront. Orta's main square faces the Isola San Giulio, an islet - once a nest of fearsome dragons - adorned with an ancient convent and church. The harmonious ensemble of town, piazza and island is pure theatre, especially captivating under spotlights after dark. WHAT ABOUT LAKE GARDA?

With all the package tourism to Lake Garda, the best-known destinations - such as Riva, Limone and Malcesine - are crowded. Instead, go for less renowned names. Gargnano is a quiet village of lemon trees and olive groves where, in 1912, DH Lawrence wrote Twilight in Italy. Its Villa Feltrinelli (00 39 0365 798 000; ) is a country house that has become a luxury boutique hotel (double rooms start at €980/£672, including breakfast). Equally little-visited is Torri del Benaco, an atmospheric one-street village. Here, the Gardesana (00 39 045 722 5411; ) overlooks the harbour and castle walls. This is a classic old lakes hotel, first recorded in 1452, which has hosted the likes of Churchill, Stephen Spender and King Juan Carlos I of Spain; in 1954, Laurence Olivier holidayed here with Vivien Leigh. Yet it wears its history lightly, without pomposity.

Opt for room 123, the Poet's Room (€154/£106, including breakfast), where a double balcony offers a panorama across virtually the full length of Lake Garda. SHOW ME THE LOVELIEST GARDENS Isola Bella and Isola Madre are twin islands in Lake Maggiore. Isola Bella is occupied by an eye-poppingly ornate baroque palazzo, built for the Borromeo family in the 17th century; its formal, terraced gardens are dotted with fountains, statues and flora ranging from oranges and lemons to camellias and magnolias. Isola Madre features exotics such as carob trees, a colony of parrots and the largest Kashmir cypress in Europe, over 200 years old. You have to pay for admission: a ticket for both islands costs €15/£10.30 ( ); RHS members get in for free.

Lake Como boasts the splendid gardens of Villa Monastero at Varenna (€2/£1.40; ), while on Lake Garda stands the Vittoriale (€11/£7.50; ), the former residence of Mussolini's favourite poet, Gabriele D'Annunzio. The villa's decor is bizarre, a tribute more to D'Annunzio's egotism than any concept of good taste, but the gardens, terraced above the glittering lake, are magnificent. WHAT CAN I SEE ON TWO LEGS - OR TWO WHEELS? Monte Generoso is the highest peak for miles around, rising to 1,700m between the lakes of Lugano and Como and served by a scenic rack-railway from the Swiss village of Capolago (Sfr38/€25/£17; 00 41 91 630 5111; ). The views are breathtaking, extending as far as the Matterhorn on one side and Milan on the other. Plenty of walks fan out from the summit station, including a full-day trail into the hidden Valle di Muggio.

Above Malcesine on Lake Garda, Monte Baldo - with a cable car to the top (€10/£7; ) - has long ridge-top walks as well as panoramic mountain-bike trails. Towering 600m above Lake Iseo is Monte Isola ( ), Europe's largest lake island, with a fine 9km perimeter trail. ANYTHING FOR ADRENALIN JUNKIES? Torbole, at the northern end of Lake Garda, is a centre for watersports, with operators including and running beginners' windsurf sessions for around €60/£41. Nearby are canyoning (€45/£31 for a half day; ) and tandem paragliding off Monte Baldo (€70/£48; ). SOME URBAN LIFE? Como's atmospheric medieval quarter is centred on the Duomo, renowned for its elegant melding of gothic and renaissance styles. Just to the north is Lugano, the largest city in Italian-speaking Switzerland, a sassy place with some great shopping.

Its arcaded Via Nassa, in the old centre, is lined with designer fashion and jewellery stores, while labyrinthine lanes behind Piazza della Riforma hide the Gabbani delicatessen, an Aladdin's cave of fine salsicce and Alpine cheeses. Lugano's annual three-day open-air jazz festival ( ; free) culminates next Saturday, 8 July, with a show by the legendary funk artist George Clinton and his 21-piece band. If that sounds a little frenetic, head to nearby Varese, just across the border in Italy. You'll find the superb Villa Panza gallery, housing a permanent exhibit of contemporary art focused on American painters of the 1980s and 90s, with many pieces from New York's Guggenheim Collection, including site-specific light installations by Dan Flavin (€8/£5.50; ). HOW DO I GET THERE...?

Six airports serve the lakes, of which the most convenient for the western lakes is Milan Malpensa - just 15km from Lake Maggiore, and handy for Orta and Como too; it has flights on Alitalia (08705 448 259; ) from Heathrow and Manchester, easyJet (0905 821 0905; ) from Gatwick and British Airways (0870 850 9 850; ) from Heathrow, London City, Birmingham, Bristol and Manchester. Milan Linate, a short drive from Como, is served by BA and Alitalia from Heathrow and easyJet from Gatwick. Bergamo's Orio al Serio airport - Milan's third airport - is a gateway for both Como and Garda; Ryanair (0871 246 0000; ) flies there from Luton, Stansted, Liverpool, Newcastle and Prestwick, as does Jet2 (0871 226 1737; ) from Leeds-Bradford.

Airports within easy reach of Lake Garda include Brescia, served by Ryanair from Stansted, and Verona, served by BA from Gatwick. Lugano is reached on Swiss (0845 601 0956; ) via Zurich from Heathrow, London City, Birmingham and Manchester, or on Darwin (00 800 1771 7777; ) from London City. ...AND GET AROUND? All six airports are well connected by public transport. From Malpensa, the "Malpensa Express" train departs frequently for Milan; it stops midway at Saronno, where you can change for the lines heading north to Como, Varese and Lake Maggiore. Buses also run directly from Malpensa to Stresa, Como, Lugano and other destinations. From Linate or Bergamo airports, take the express coach to Milan's Stazione Centrale, from where trains run to Stresa and other Lake Maggiore towns, Como and Varenna on Lake Como, Lugano and the southern shores of Lake Garda.

From Brescia and Verona airports, buses shuttle to Verona's Porta Nuova station, from where Lake Garda is a short train ride away. A minibus meets arrivals at Lugano airport, dropping off anywhere you like in the city centre; trains run regularly between Lugano and Como. Timetables for trains, buses and boats in this region of Italy are searchable at . All Swiss public transport timetables are online at . There are some great deals to be had on rental cars. "Sixti" ( ), the low-cost arm of Sixt car rental, based at Malpensa, Linate and Bergamo airports, rents small cars - such as Smart or Fiat Panda - for as little as €8/£5.50 a day, even in July and August. That price includes 100 free kilometres and a loss damage waiver with a high excess (€800/£550).

By comparison, Maggiore ( ), a big Italian agency, is charging €69/£47 to rent a slightly larger Fiat Punto with unlimited mileage from Malpensa, Linate, Bergamo or Verona airports for any weekend (Fri 2pm-Mon 10am) in July or August. As much as possible, though, you should go by boat: the lakeside roads are often jammed solid with traffic during the summer peak. Ferries, catamarans and hydrofoils operate reliably to regular timetables, which are published online: for lakes Garda, Como and Maggiore, see ; for Lake Lugano, see . You could also opt for a cruise, to see the best of the scenery in a day, or a romantic dinner for two on board. The "Lago Maggiore Express" (€28/£19; ) comprises a memorable three-stage journey by train and boat around the lake and through the mountains, starting in Stresa and taking in a spectacular ride on the narrow-gauge Centovalli line between Locarno (in Switzerland) and Domodossola. WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE?

Italian Tourist Board (020-7408 1254; Switzerland Tourism (free- phone 00800 100 200 30; ). Matthew Teller is co-author of the Rough Guide to the Italian Lakes (£12.99). Names of Waterways in Italy | Getaway Tips - azcentral.com Names of Waterways in Italy by Tammie Painter Share on Facebook Whether you prefer boating on lakes, lounging by the sea or punting through canals, Italy is a country that satisfies anyone who loves the water. In addition to drawing tourists, Italy's diverse waterways played strong roles in the country's rich history -- and some show off the engineering skills of ancient Italians. Learning the major waterways of Italy not only helps you to orient yourself, but it also helps you to understand the country and its influences. The Surrounding Seas Much of Italy extends from Southern Europe and is surrounded by seas. On the western side of the country, the Ligurian Sea flows between the northern mainland and the French island of Corsica. From Corsica to the island of Sicily is the Tyrrhenian Sea.

If taking a cruise that arrives or departs from Cittavecchia, you'll sail through this sea. Going further west and south, you'll reach the Mediterranean Sea. Between the toe and heel of the boot on Italy's southern coast is the Ionian Sea. On Italy's eastern side lies the Adriatic Sea that separates Italy from Croatia. The Major Rivers Many of Italy's most famous cities grew up along the banks of the country's major rivers. The Tiber River flows 252 miles from the Apennines, through Rome and to the Tyrrhenian Sea. In Florence, you'll find the Arno River that runs 150 miles to the Ligurian Sea. Crossing the Arno is the famous Ponte Vecchio, a bridge lined with jewelry shops. At just over 400 miles long, the Po is the longest river in Italy. The Po valley in northern Italy is one of the most fertile areas of the country. Italian Lakes In northern Italy at the borders of Austria and Switzerland, tourists flock to Italy's lake district. Three of the most popular lakes -- Lake Como, Lake Maggiore and Lake Lugano -- are located near Milan.

Near to Verona is Lake Garda, Italy's largest lake, which is edged with olive and lemon groves as well as castles and lakeside resorts. The largest lakes in Italy are serviced by passenger ferries to make it easy to get from one lake town to another. The Canals When someone mentions Venice, canals are often the first thought that comes to mind. The first canals in Venice were built in the fifth century. Today, over 150 of these Venetian waterways now crisscross the entire city. To move about Venice, you can make use of the 400 or so bridges or hire a vaporetto to cruise through town. Milan also has a series of canals that form a rough ring around the city. In the 12th century, the canals were formed by linking irrigation ditches and moats to improve trade and the flow of goods. Tour boats now cruise the canals from April to September. References Italian Lakes Holidays | easyJet holidays Italian Lakes Holidays Overview The Italian Lakes stretch out across Northern Italy. This beautiful area boasts stunning scenery, fresh air, and charming lakeside villages and towns to explore. The climate is mild during summer and winter.

The main lakes are Lake Garda – the biggest lake, which is surrounded by mountains. Lake Como , a calm and tranquil destination, and Lake Maggiore , the second largest lake in Italy, and a very popular destination. The Italian Lakes offer a quiet, relaxing holiday, with a variety of activities to choose from, from full-on adrenaline-seeking to strolls through the mountains. Things to do in the Italian Lakes There are many things to see and do at destinations across the Italian Lakes. During the summer, the lakes offer many water sports to participate in, such as swimming, sailing and water-skiing. Or away from the lake, head to the mountains for a stroll, hike or bike ride through the great scenery. In the winter, the Lakes’ location close to The Alps means they’re ideal for winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding. Families are well catered for at Gardaland – Italy’s largest theme park, and the third largest in Europe. With exhilarating rollercoasters and gentler rides for little ones, it’s the ultimate family day out. Take a holiday to Peschiera to be close to all the attractions!

Take a cable car up to the peaks and enjoy the stunning views from the top of the mountains, as well as the ride up! Food, drink and nightlife in the Italian Lakes Italy is renowned for its delicious food and popular cuisine. There are many restaurants all over the Lakes, serving great food made with fresh ingredients. There are many regional variations and local specialities to try, as well as a great range of wine produced in the vineyards. Book now and save with easyJet holidays There’s a perfect destination for everyone in the Italian Lakes. It’s a great opportunity to enjoy some fresh air and beautiful scenery, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and in tranquil calming surrounds. Families and couples alike will find plenty to keep busy, or just kick back and enjoy some rest and relaxation. Create your perfect stress-free holiday with easyJet holidays’ flexible booking options, and then jet out and enjoy your perfect holiday to Italy ! City Breaks

Question: Which is the largest of the Italian lakes?
Answer: Lake Garda